Working memory is short term information processing memory and it is dependent upon the levels of dopamine in the brain. Drugs like caffeine and Ritalin mimic dopamine to help people concentrate. Estrogen may actually help the brain trigger the release of dopamine. A new study also indicated that cognition is tied to dopamine levels in the brain. This may affect cognitive sharpness at various times in a woman’s cycle.
24 women were studied at Berkley in California. Some were naturally lower in estrogen and those women had difficulty with complicated working memory tasks like repeating a series of 5 numbers in reverse. When the tests were repeated during ovulation (10-12 days after menstruation) and estrogen was at its highest, they did much better on the same test. Women who had naturally higher levels of estrogen demonstrated the reverse pattern.
Dopamine in the prefrontal lobs of the brain controls the flow of information from other parts of the brain for integration. What on earth does this mean? If I were to hazard a tongue in cheek guess, it means that smart girls need to be dumbed down by nature to get them to continue the species.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment